Trying to connect a MIDI keyboard (Axiom 25) to an iPad Mini to play the Waldorf Nave (amazing synth) but a bunch of the Core MIDI-compliant products use the old 30-pin connector and don't interface with the new Lightning connection.

Just scored an iRig Midi on eBay, but when I look at the Apple Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter a lot of the sellers warn it does not work for audio. Is that a warning to MIDI noobs who think MIDI acts like an Audio-Out, or does it really mean the Apple adapter will not work for transmitting MIDI notes from the keyboard? What do you do if the latter is true?

Finally - any rec's for an Audio-Out solution for the iPad Mini so I can plug it into my mixer?

MIDI isn't audio, it's just note on/off info, what note, instrument data, and various modulations. Pretty much a constant stream of letters and numbers as you play. Audio comes out of the iPad anyway, just hook the headphones out to a channel on your mixer. Works perfectly with my ipad4 , and I get no audio signal loss Iike you'd imagine when using a headphones output. Maybe my mixer amplifies it, I don't know. I just have a cheap Phonic 11channel mixer, no expensive desk.

Bitexion wrote:MIDI isn't audio, it's just note on/off info, what note, instrument data, and various modulations. Pretty much a constant stream of letters and numbers as you play. Audio comes out of the iPad anyway, just hook the headphones out to a channel on your mixer. Works perfectly with my ipad4 , and I get no audio signal loss Iike you'd imagine when using a headphones output. Maybe my mixer amplifies it, I don't know. I just have a cheap Phonic 11channel mixer, no expensive desk.

Thanks. I knew that, but the warning about no audio support made me wonder if MIDI was not supported on the Apple adapter for some odd reason.

Thanks also on the audio out via the phone jack. The sound quality is pretty good on these things, and jaw-dropping with Nave!

the no audio support warning is likely for old dock units that play audio through the connector, like speakers that don't use Bluetooth for instance. There is a cable meant to connect a camera to the iPad to send over pictures etc, that is commonly used as MIDI cable. I might be easier available than a specific MIDI cable. But you already have the MIDI hookup it seems

Alesis IO dock is reported to be working with ipad4 so maybe it's basically supported?I don't actually have an IO dock so I'm not sure, but it's taking audio without headphone amp right? I wonder how different the audio with or without thru the headphone amp.

Roland makes an audio/MIDI interface that is for use with the iPad: it uses your connector cable (charger cable) to plug into a USB port on the back and then allows for both MIDI and audio to pass through the unit. I have not tested this so I can't say it works. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DuoCaptureEX/ I would imagine there are others, too.

Roland makes an audio/MIDI interface that is for use with the iPad: it uses your connector cable (charger cable) to plug into a USB port on the back and then allows for both MIDI and audio to pass through the unit. I have not tested this so I can't say it works. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DuoCaptureEX/ I would imagine there are others, too.

All helpful, thanks. I'm going to just grab a Lightning to 30-pin then, since I'm getting the iRig and that should suffice. If I want more than one MIDI input, would a MIDI patchbay work on the iPad?

If I needed to make a Lightning to 30-pin connection from scratch, I would definitely use the Apple camera connector (Lightning to USB). That Roland Duo looks perfect though, having the audio as well.